Process of preparing peat for fuel.



A not easily removable by medhanieal' means.

After the peat has been subjected totheelec trical current. for a short period of time it is UNITED' STATES.

Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT J O FER.

1 J. W. VAIUGRHAN Ann CHARLES s. HORNERrOF EATON RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS OF PREPARING-FEAT Fo'n- PU El...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,587, dated February 14,1905.

Application filed n1, 11,1904, Serial no. 215,970.

2'0 all whom it 'may concern.- I Be it-known that we, J W. VAUcn'ANand (JuA Lus S. HORNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Eaton Rapids, county of jEaton, State of Michigan, have invented a 'certaln new and useful Improvement in Processes of Preparing Peat for Fuel; and we de:

, clare the following to be a fully, clear, andexact In carrying put this process thepeat taken description of the invention, such as will en- .able others skilled in the art to which it per-- tainsto make and use thesame.

of quickly and thoroughly drying and disintegfratling the peat-and preparing it"for. use

from the bed from which it is mined is subected to the mechanical extraction of water therefrom either by presses or by centrifugal machines, which extract and remove thewater to as great an extent as is possible by such process. It is thereafter subjected to an electric'current of a voltage and amperage sufiicient to rapidly heat it to a temperature that breaks it down and disintegrates and liberates 7 water that is or has been contained within the interstices of theparticles of, peat and which was y associated therewith that ima'js again subjected to mechanical. action to remove the waterwhich has been liberated by the action off-the electric current, either pres:

I sure or a centrifugal machine, after which the peat, now substantially dry, is compressed ormolded into briquets and is ready for use.

Under the electric treatment the peat material is not heated to ;a temperature high enough to burn it or destroy itin any degree, and,in fact, the presence of .the liberated water or the steam therefrom prevents the temper I ature from rising to such a degree that it will 45 burn or char the materiaLand the material-is subjected to the electric current only long enough'to liberate the contained water and not long enough to'drive the water-entirely away, much of which remains mingled with 5 I the peat material until'it is subscquentlysube'ctedqto mechanical separation therefrom.

In practice we have used an alternating current of electricity for the purpose of breaking down the peat and liberatingthe watertherefrom which has produced very satisfactory results. much more satisfactory than those we have secured from the use of the direct current. a

v What weclaim is 1. The prccess of drying peat, consisting of first mechanically separating from the peat the contained water to as great an extent as 13.

practically possible, nextsubjecting the par-.-

tiallyrdried peat to an-electric current, to disintegrate the same and liberate contained;wa-

ter and finally again mechanically separating the liberated water from the" mass, substantially as described. I The process of preparing peatsfor fuel, consisting in mechanically separating from the-mined peat the watercontained' therein instance, subjecting the partially-dried materiaLto an electric current to liberate conteas great azdegree as is possible in the first tained water and contemporaneously separat--- 'ing the liberated water from the peat material, substantially as described.

- In testimony whereof we sign this specifica tion in the .presence of two witnesses.

' "JQW. VAUGHAN CHARLES S. H O RNER. Witnesses: i

' Ammsox OsaoRN,

JNO. I B1asar. 

